It's Saturday Night -
time for more Genealogy Fun!
Our mission from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings is to:
1) What is your favorite
genealogy research resource? Not a website, but a type of record,
like census, cemetery, tax, etc. Why is it your
favorite? [Thank you to Linda Stufflebean for suggesting topics!]
2) Write your own blog
post, or add your response as a comment to this blog post, in a Facebook Status
post or note.
Here's mine:
I first want to say, as a dedicated genealogist who tries to
adhere to the Genealogy Proof Standard (GPS), all record types are my favorite
research resource.
We answered a similar question back on March 19 and I wrote
about directories. My second favorite source is newspapers. Researching in
newspapers has helped me add flesh to the bones of my ancestors, add historic
and cultural context to their lives, and solve some genealogical research
problems. Sometimes, newspapers have given me a surprise.
Besides obituaries, I search for announcements of births and
marriages, employment clues, school activities and graduations, and extracurricular
activities such as performing in theater or playing sports. Our ancestors were
members of church groups, garden clubs, and agricultural groups. Here is a
photo of two of my aunts Virginia and Lorene Hork at a Cucamonga wine festival.[1]
I have learned about the military service of family members. This has been especially important with the near-total loss of Army and Air Force service records. Newspaper articles might mention the unit they were a part of. Here we learn of the promotion of my great-uncle from First Lieutenant to Captain.[2]
Legal notices might announce the filings of probate, bankruptcy, or divorce proceedings. One of my favorite notices was about a real estate transfer. This notice led me to discover Philapena’s mother and siblings also came to the U.S.[3]
It’s been a boon for researchers that newspapers are being digitized and that OCR makes searching so easy (well most of the time, when the type is clear and sharp). However, there are so many papers that have yet to be digitized.[4] But there is hope. If a newspaper is on microfilm, it can be easily digitized. I just need to be patient and keep checking the various newspaper websites that have content. Even if you don’t subscribe to the subscription newspaper sites, their newspaper listings can be browsed. I even get emails when they add content.
So, newspapers are definitely high on my list.
[1]
“Cucamonga to Hold Colorful Wine Festival Sept. 9 and 10,” The San
Bernardino County Sun, 30 Aug 1939, p. 10.
[2]
Stephenville Empire Tribune, 29 Oct 1943, p. 8, col. 1.
[3]
“Real Estate Transfers,” Louisville Courier-Journal, 13 Jul 1901, p. 10.
[4]
High on my list is the Turlock (California) Journal. I tried looking at the
microfilm of the paper but it took hours to just go through one roll of film.
I love the photo of the Cucamonga wine festival. We used to live in Alta Loma, which is part of today's Rancho Cucamonga. I love newspapers, too, when I can find them.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love county history books (for my hubby's family tree), I agree with you that newspapers are a treasure trove for nearly every family! One of my great uncles went bankrupt at least three times...what interesting info in those notices.
ReplyDeleteMy son lives in Rancho Cucamonga. He is the GM of the Ontario Clippers, so it was fun to see that reference. Newspapers are the best. I hope for more and more to be digitized.
ReplyDelete